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Hazel Dickens




Hazel Dickens ( June 1 , 1935 , Mercer County , West Virginia ) is an American Bluegrass singer. She was the eighth child of an eleven-child Mining family in West Virginia . Her music is characterized by not only her " High Lonesome " singing style, but also by her provocative pro- Union , Feminist songs.

Poverty drove the Dickens to move to the )". In this regard, Dickens and Gerrard were Bluegrass bandleaders at a time when the vast majority of Bluegrass bands were led by men.

Hazel appeared in the documentary Harlan County, USA and also contributed four songs to the soundtrack of the same film. She has also appeared in the film Matewan .

Hazel continues to record and perform to this day. Her voice is still among the most powerful and moving of all Bluegrass singers, male or female.

She has written and recorded some of the most powerful and moving songs, in any genre, of the 20th century, such as "Hills of Home" and "A Few Old Pictures."


DISCOGRAPHY


With Alice Gerrard

  • Who's That Knocking ( 1965 )

  • Won't You Come & Sing for Me ( 1973 ).



Solo albums

  • Hard Hitting Songs for the Hard Hit ( 1981 )

  • By the Sweat of My Brow ( 1983 )

  • It's Hard to Tell the Singer From the Song ( 1987 )



FILMS



Films in which Dickens appears

  • ''Hazel Dickens: It's Hard to Tell the Singer from the Song'' (2001). Directed by Mimi Pickering. Whitesburg, Kentucky: Appalshop.

  • '' Matewan '' (1987). Directed by John Sayles .

  • '' Songcatcher '' (2000). Directed by Maggie Greenwald.



Films in which Dickens contributes to the soundtrack

  • ''Coalmining Women'' (1982). Directed by Elizabeth Barret. Whitesburg, Kentucky: Appalshop.

  • ''Harlan County U.S.A.'' (1976). Directed by Barbara Kopple .